International Response to Nuclear Power Reactor Safety Concerns

GAO discussed international nuclear reactor safety problems and the status of international efforts to address those problems. GAO found that: (1) as of September 1985, a total of 408 nuclear power plants were operating outside of the United States, but many developing countries had little or no prior experience in operating nuclear power plants or adequate technical resources to support effective, independent nuclear safety programs; (2) although problems resulting from serious nuclear accidents might be beyond the response capability of many countries, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have initiated efforts to develop safety standards or guidelines, exchange information, and provide training and expert assistance to help developing countries improve nuclear safety; (3) NRC information showed that from 1971 to August 1984, there were data on only two significant and 149 potentially significant incidents at foreign reactors; (4) while there may be some duplication in the sharing of information, the IAEA system includes a large number of countries that are not in the NEA system; and (5) although the extent to which nuclear accidents might be avoided cannot be measured, the severity of abnormal events could be mitigated through the international sharing of reactor experience.